Jon Sumrall isn’t one to mince words, and after Tulane’s College Football Playoff appearance stirred up national debate, he made his stance crystal clear: “We beat the ACC Champion.”
That’s the kind of statement that cuts through the noise-and Sumrall delivered it without hesitation. The newly minted Florida head coach isn’t just defending Tulane’s playoff spot; he’s standing firm on what he sees as an earned place at the table for Group of Five programs. And in his view, Tulane didn’t just sneak in-they deserved to be there.
The controversy? Two G5 schools, Tulane and James Madison, cracked the top 12 and earned playoff bids, prompting plenty of pushback from fans and analysts who felt Power Five programs were snubbed.
But Sumrall isn’t entertaining that narrative. His rebuttal is rooted in results, not hypotheticals.
“I think you should’ve given the American Champion an opportunity before the ACC Champion this year because we beat the ACC Champion,” Sumrall said, referencing Tulane’s early-season win over Duke. “So like, Duke won the ACC Championship. We beat them.”
He’s not wrong. Back on September 13, Tulane hosted the Blue Devils and handed them a 34-27 loss.
It was a signature win in a season that reaffirmed Tulane’s status as a serious contender, not just a feel-good story. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff led the charge with a dynamic performance-15-for-23 passing, 245 yards through the air, plus 111 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
That kind of dual-threat dominance doesn’t just win games-it sends a message.
Still, Sumrall acknowledged the critics might have found more ammunition after Tulane’s playoff showing, saying, “By how we played tonight, we maybe didn’t help with the critics of that.” But even with that admission, he stood tall on the bigger issue: representation.
“I do think there should be at least one G5 representative,” he emphasized again, doubling down on the belief that college football’s postseason shouldn’t be exclusive to the biggest brands or biggest budgets.
It’s a stance rooted in both principle and performance. Tulane didn’t just win their conference-they beat a Power Five champion. And while the playoff game might not have gone their way, Sumrall isn’t letting one result erase a season’s worth of work.
Now at Florida, Sumrall’s focus shifts to building something in Gainesville. But make no mistake-his belief in the underdog isn’t going anywhere.
He ended his press conference with a familiar tone of accountability and determination: he knows he has to coach better, and he’s ready to do just that. The Gators are getting a coach who fights for his team, his conference, and the broader landscape of college football.
And if his past is any indicator, he won’t stop pushing until he’s back in the playoff conversation-this time wearing orange and blue.